Musically Savage Moustache-Cookie & Cream Cake!

What a perfect cake to start off the month of November!...(by the way…can you believe it’s already November!? Yikes!)

November to some people is also known as: Movember.

This great cause was brought to my attention by my dear friend James.

Via: http://us.movember.com/  :
“The 'Mo', slang for moustache, and November come together each year for Movember. 

Each Movember we challenge men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache. The moustache is our ribbon, the means by which we raise awareness and funds for cancers that affect men. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, our commitment is to grow a moustache for 30 days. Funds raised benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.”

So please log on to the Movember website- read up, educate yourself, participate, and donate!

The sole purpose of decorating this cake as such however was to celebrate my other bestie Cameron’s birthday.

Cameron created a group of DJ’s called the Music Savages. The mustache to them represents the dirty audacious man inside every man that comes out late at night.

It is also the symbol of their group-they have a mustache madness competition which takes place in March, t-shirts, flags, and all kinds of stuff.

Visit their pleasurable site, listen and enjoy! (MusicSavages)

We had a birthday dinner at Baby Blues- and let me tell you…that is like a thanksgiving dinner twice over! I really didn’t think anyone would have room for cake…but whoa…did that cake get dominated!

I have never received so many compliments on a cake too! : )

This is actually a cupcake recipe…but I wanted to incorporate a huge mustache so I made it as a cake instead!

Whether you opt for a cupcake or cake-this should be your next go to recipe for a cake! It is amazing, and a definite repeat!

You will also see an image below of what it would look like as a cupcake… (What? I had to bake a sample to make sure if was okay for everyone to eat!) 

Yield: 24 cupcakes or 2 layered cake
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes or cake:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached-needed for cupcakes only-base
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  

For cupcakes: Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.  Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.  

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients.  Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.--Or between two greased cake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.
For the cake, I iced the bottom layer, then sprinkled chopped up Oreo on top. Next I placed the second layer on top, frosted, and then garnished with the Oreo mustache!
To make mustache: finely crush/chop Oreo’s. Find a blown up image of a mustache, cut out the mustache, and use paper as stencil!